Object Groups

As a young African American, Addison Scurlock studied photography with Washington photographer Moses P. Rice, and began using his parents' home as a photographic studio in 1905; in 1911 he opened his own studio. Later, sons George and Robert assisted him and worked as photographers in the studio. After Addison's death his sons continued to operate the studio until George retired in the 1970s and Robert died in 1994. Two other separate business enterprises were associated with the studio: The Capitol School of Photography, which was operated by Robert and George out of the studio, 1948-1952, and Custom Craft, a color laboratory service which opened as the school closed. (The collection contains material related to all these facets of the business.)

Summary

Approximately 250,000 photonegatives, photoprints, color transparencies from the photographic business founded by Addison Scurlock in Washington, D.C. Collection also includes business records and ephemera

Photographs: Includes portraits of famous African-American luminaries such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and many other artists, intellectuals, educators, entertainers, etc., as well as documentation of Washington, D.C., including both the African-American community and national political life, and important photographs of Howard University; also commercial photography, including color materials

Business records: The photography studio records and Custom Craft records are in separate subseries, reflecting the fact that they were operated as separate businesses

Publications

See "Portraits of a City: The Scurlock Photographic Studio's Legacy to Washington, D.C." online at http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/scurlock/index.html . This site includes a "contact us" form for comments and identifications of people and events in Scurlock photographs

Cite as

Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Posed group of five dancers in a line with arms around each other's backs. In front of the line another dancer performs a split. Ink on negative edge: "23650 Effie Moore 4--Theatrical". Edge imprint: Eastman--Safety--Kodak

Cite as

Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Degree in music from Howard University; married vocal instructor Prof. Roy W. Tibbs. Continued study in Europe, made professional operative debut in Nice, France, 1925. Stage name formed from combination of single and married names, Washington concert debut, 1933. Helped found the Negro National Opera Company

Degree in music from Howard University; married vocal instructor Prof. Roy W. Tibbs. Continued study in Europe, made professional operative debut in Nice, France, 1925. Stage name formed from combination of single and married names, Washington concert debut, 1933. Helped found the Negro National Opera Company